Five in Five: Sunday, January 28

Last night we turned on PBS, and there on Austin City Limits was Run the Jewels, mics in hand. Turning to Byron, I laughed, “Wow. In about thirty seconds, we’re going to hear the words ‘bag of dicks’ for the first time ever on public television. Do not tell the Dowager Countess!” Discreetly, the broadcasters opted to bleep out every third word of the entire concert;

2. There’s a term for small talk! It’s horror vacui (also called kenophobia) — which means the fear of empty spaces, usually in artistic works, but I also want it to apply to things beyond design, like conversations that involve people yammering about the weather, knicknack-ridden living rooms, and the inside of our refrigerator;

3. A few months ago, I bought some amazing leggings from a company called the Girlfriend Collective; I’d read about them online and was interested that all their clothing is made out of recycled bottles — yet it’s so soft and fine. (If you want to know more about how some business people are putting their values into their products, you can read their explanation of recycling in Taiwan and their use of water bottles as the basis for fabric here). Sure, the cost is not insignificant since it reflects the realities of manufacturing and distribution rather than an artificially deflated price, yet I’m so crazy in love with these leggings — How can I be in love with leggings? But I tell you, they are quality stuff — now I really want a pair of their biking shorts, and let’s be honest: a big part of my enthusiasm is that I am in love with the muffin top suppression in their high-rise styles. It’s no fun getting sweaty unless your waistband reaches your bra-line, right? CAN I GET A WITNESS?;

4. The remnants of colonialism live strong, right down to the fact that people with colonialist mindsets still believe those who serve them are happy to do it. Getting real: the person wiping up after you is muttering curses under her breath and, when she’s not peeing into your soup, wishing you a hard fall into a shallow grave;

5. Paco’s been doing fencing for more than a year now, so every Sunday his doting parents get to run around the track and lift weights while watching all sorts of thrusting and parrying. Get this: today’s kids come into fencing classes with poor habits already in place thanks to the influence of cinema; the teachers have to caution youngsters, “Hey, Cody and Orlando, you’re light-sabering again.” Something else I enjoy: a good fencing jacket has a front-zip, not a back-zip, because all Big Boys Like to Dress Themselves.

Quick update from Friday’s post: I have hardly seen Allegra these past few days because she’s always at work, but I did message another girl on the ski team to ask for an update on the hurt skiier, and she replied that she doesn’t know much, other than the girl in question is fine.

Typing time: 8:50

Editing: 4:30

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Published by Jocelyn

There's this game put out by the American Girl company called "300 Wishes"--I really like playing it because then I get to marvel, "Wow, it's like I'm a real live American girl who has 300 wishes, and that doesn't suck, especially compared to being a dead one with none."
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